Names in English and their meanings. Russian pronunciation

01.04.2019

So much is said about the culture or traditions of England, but it is quite rare to find out about English names. And the topic, by the way, is very entertaining. After all, the naming system is globally different from what we are used to.

If we have a first and last name, then in England it is somewhat different. They have a first name, a middle name, and a surname. In addition, in England it is considered normal to give diminutive forms of the name. For example, even in formal conversations, a person may be called Tony, although his full name sounds like Anthony. If desired, the child can be immediately recorded with a diminutive name and the state will not object. Moreover, almost any word or name can be taken as a name - for example, the name Brooklyn. But if we tried to name our son, for example, Novosibirsk, they would hardly give permission for this.

The system of English given names and surnames

Each of us is already accustomed to the fact that he is the bearer of the surname, name and patronymic. But such a scheme is not suitable for the British, their naming system is absolutely unusual and therefore curious. The main difference between our systems is the lack of a patronymic. Instead, they have a surname, a first name, and a middle name. Moreover, as any of these two names, an Englishman can carry the names of some stars or even his ancestors. Although there is no strict requirement that a person have only these three points. Any Englishman can give a child a name from several names or surnames. For example, if you want to name it in honor of the whole football team at once.

Such a tradition - to give a person a surname as a name, has come down to our days from noble families. Although the history of the English name system developed quite actively, borrowings were made from various countries, and names were also mixed from the Angles, Celtic tribes, Franco-Normans. Since the Anglo-Saxons initially had only one name, they tried to attach special importance to it. Therefore, in the composition of ancient names one could meet such words as wealth or health. Old English female names were most often composed using adjectives, the most common variation being Leof (dear, beloved). And after the Norman invasion of England, a surname was gradually added to the name, making it close to the name system that exists today. The old Anglo-Saxon names gradually began to disappear, and due to the influence of the Christian religion, Christian schools that opened everywhere actively stimulated the registration of newborns who received a name at baptism, so the names changed slightly: from Mary to Mary, from Jeanne to John.

Generator of English names and surnames

GENERATOR OF ENGLISH NAMES AND SURNAMES
(including Anglo-Irish and Anglo-Scottish surnames)

Male name Female name

And here are the most common British names. For convenience, they are divided into parts of the country, because in each corner some individual names are most popular. Some of them are the same, some are different. Names are ranked by popularity.

England

Men's

  1. Harry- Harry (a diminutive of Henry - rich, powerful)
  2. Oliver- Oliver (from ancient German - army)
  3. Jack- Jack (a diminutive of John, from Hebrew - Yahweh is merciful)
  4. Charlie- Charlie (from ancient German - man, husband)
  5. Thomas- Thomas (from ancient Greek - twin)
  6. Jacob– Jacob (simplified version of the name James)
  7. Alfie- Alfie (from Old English - advice)
  8. Riley- Riley (from Irish - courageous)
  9. William- William (from ancient German - desire, will)
  10. James- James (from Hebrew - "holding on to the heel")

Women's

  1. Amelia- Amelia (from ancient German - work, work)
  2. Olivia- Olivia (from Latin - olive tree)
  3. Jessica- Jessica (the exact meaning is unknown, perhaps the name comes from the biblical name Jescha)
  4. Emily– Emily (the female form of the male name Emil is a rival)
  5. Lily- Lily (from the English name for the lily flower)
  6. Ava– Ava (a variant of the medieval English name Evelyn)
  7. Heather- Heather (from English - heather)
  8. Sophie- Sophie (from ancient Greek - wisdom)
  9. Mia– Mia
  10. Isabella- Isabella (Provencal version of the name Elizabeth)

Northern Ireland

Men's

  1. Jack– Jack
  2. James– James
  3. Daniel– Daniel
  4. Harry– Harry
  5. Charlie– Charlie
  6. Ethan– Ethan
  7. Matthew- Matthew (from Hebrew - the gift of Yahweh)
  8. Ryan– Ryan
  9. Riley– Riley
  10. noah– Noah

Women's

  1. Sophie– Sophie
  2. Emily– Emily
  3. grace- Grace (from English - grace, grace)
  4. Amelia– Amelia
  5. Jessica– Jessica
  6. Lucy- Lucy (from the male Roman name Lucius - light)
  7. Sophia– Sofia (variant of the name Sophie)
  8. Katie- Katy (from Greek - pure, thoroughbred)
  9. Eva- Eve (from Hebrew - breathe, live)
  10. Aoife- Ifa (from Irish - beauty)

Wales

Men's

  1. Jacob– Jacob
  2. Oliver– Oliver
  3. Riley– Riley
  4. Jack– Jack
  5. Alfie– Alfie
  6. Harry– Harry
  7. Charlie– Charlie
  8. Dylan- Dylan (according to Welsh mythology, that was the name of the God of the Sea)
  9. William– William
  10. mason– Mason (from a similar surname meaning “stone carving”)

Women's

  1. Amelia– Amelia
  2. Ava– Ava
  3. Mia– Mia
  4. Lily– Lily
  5. Olivia– Olivia
  6. ruby- Ruby (from English - ruby)
  7. Seren- Serenus (from Latin - clear)
  8. Evie– Evie (from the English surname Evelyn)
  9. Ella- Ella (from ancient German - all, everything)
  10. Emily– Emily

Modern English names

It is very common in English names to have pet and diminutive forms as official names. With us, such a form is allowed only with personal, close communication. For example, take at least people familiar to everyone - Bill Clinton or Tony Blair. They are called by such names even at world negotiations, and this is absolutely acceptable. Although in fact, Bill's full name is William, and Tony is Anthony. The British are allowed to register a newborn child, giving him a diminutive first or second name. Although there are no special prohibitions on choosing a name in English-speaking countries as such, it is possible to give a child a name after a city or district. So, for example, the star couple Beckham did, Victoria and David gave their son the name Brooklyn - it was in this area of ​​\u200b\u200bNew York that he was born.

Gradually, fashion began to change and names in English-speaking countries often began to be borrowed from different languages. Since the 19th century, many female names have appeared such as Ruby, Daisy, Beryl, Amber and others. Willingly used names originally from Spain or France - Michel, Angelina, Jacqueline. But the tendency of some people to give their children unusual names has not disappeared anywhere. Bill Simser, Vice President of Microsoft, named his daughter Vista Avalon. The first part of the name is in honor of Windows Vista, and the second part is in honor of the Avalon system code name. But director Kevin Smith decided to name his daughter Harley Quinn at all - that was the name of the girl from the comics about Batman.

By the way, not every owner likes such unusual names. Many children are embarrassed by this and look forward to coming of age to officially change their name. Little Pixie Geldof, who is the daughter of musician Bob Geldof, was very shy about the prefix "little" at the beginning of her name and chose to call herself simply Pixie in her adult life. But what a resident of New Zealand, whose name is Bus No. 16, will do with his name is even hard to imagine. The fantasies of his parents can only be envied.

List of popular and rare English names for girls.

Now many newly-made parents come up with various and interesting names for their babies. Along with the old Russian names, foreign ones are gaining popularity. Their popularization is associated with foreign films and serials.

What are the most popular, beautiful, rare, unusual, short English names for girls: rating of the best with meaning

Now in our country there are a lot of girls with foreign names. We offer you a rating.

Foreign names and their decoding:

  • Abigail. It means "Father's Joy". Most often, very positive girls grow up, they are in a good mood.
  • Elinor. In translation, it stands for "shepherdess". Usually girls are quite simple and comfortable in communication.
  • Eveline. The girl is very independent and flies out of her parent's nest early. It means "free bird".
  • Avalon. It means "Apple". Girls grow up to be very powerful and responsible. In America, girls are called that in winter.
  • Holly. The girls are very sensual and loyal. They never betray. It means "sister" in translation.
  • Anabel. The girls are very non-standard and different from the majority. They have a subtle mental organization that not everyone likes. It means "elegantly beautiful" in translation.
  • Andrea. Means "warlike". This is a girl fighter who is not afraid of difficulties. She is always ahead and very brave.
  • Doris. These girls are very cheerful and cheerful. It means "funny" in translation.

Short beautiful English female names for girls and girls: list, meanings

Short names are popular because of their conciseness.

List:

  • Laura. Such girls can predict the future. They are endowed with good intuition. In translation, it means "seer".
  • Chloe. The girl is very strong spiritually and will not stop at any obstacles. It translates as "mighty".
  • Chris. A very popular name in the US. There is a legend dedicated to this name. The girl is very brave and brave.
  • Lisa. A friendly girl who has many acquaintances. Loves to communicate. The name means "friendship" in translation.
  • Easy. The girl is very emotional and sensual. It means "sensual" in translation.
  • Audrey. This name is of English origin but gained popularity in America. It means "light" in translation.
  • Neli. A popular name that means "appearing". Such a girl can be unexpected and spontaneous.
  • Katie. Very gifted and active. Means "girl".


The most popular English female names: list, meanings

There are also a lot of foreign names that I most often call girls.

List:

  • Agatha. The girl is very good and responsive. Means "kind", "bright".
  • April. The girl is very emotional and is able to evoke a response from many men. It means "spring" in translation.
  • Audrey. A well-known and common name in the states. Means "light, radiant".
  • Sessilia. This girl is fire. Very passionate and emotional. Means "changeable".
  • Emily. The girl knows what she wants, and is constantly on the move. Means "rival".
  • Amanda. A girl with bright and good energy, always positive. Means "pleasant".


The rarest English female names: list, meanings

As in our country, in foreign countries there are names that girls are called the least often.

FROM squeak:

  • Rebecca. This is a very sociable representative of the fair sex. She gets along well with others, as her name in translation means "friendly".
  • Mabel. An unusual representative of the fair sex. She has a calm disposition and finds a way out of any life situations. It means "pearl" in translation.
  • Candlis. A girl with that name is very modest and shy. She rarely causes a lot of noise, because her name translates as "virgin".
  • Madeline. The fair sex with this name is very calm and responsible. From childhood, she can be entrusted with a variety of tasks. It means "obedient daughter".
  • Nellie. Our name is also not particularly popular, as in Europe and America. It means "appearing" in translation.
  • Laura. With such a girl is not bored, she will always find something to do. It means "toy" in translation.


A girl with a rare name Rebecca

The most unusual English female names: list, meanings

There are names that are quite rare and are unusual.

FROM squeak:

  • Annick. A girl with that name tries to be helpful. Indeed, in translation, her name means "useful."
  • Christie. The girl is very pious, since the name in translation means "follower of Christ."
  • Dusty. The character of the fair sex is strong and strong-willed, as in translation it means “stone of Thor”.
  • Stanley. A young lady with that name strives for harmony in everything. It means "cleansing" in translation.
  • Manley. The young lady always strives for clarity and certainty. Perhaps due to the fact that the name in translation means "clarifying."
  • Base A somewhat non-standard name, which is very reminiscent of a man's. It means "grass" in translation.
  • Ogden. The girl is very persistent and strong in spirit. She does not lose heart and always goes ahead, because her name means "oak grove".
  • Kevin. This name is called both girls and men. In translation, it means "dear, beloved."
  • Clare. The name can often be found in films, but it is not popular. It means "glorifying" in translation.
  • Phillip. This name can also be considered both male and female. It translates as "horse lover".


A girl with an unusual name Dusty.

Despite the popularization of a foreign language, girls in our country are rarely called English names. More often used names that have gained popularity both here and in Europe.

Until the eleventh century, English names served as the only source of personal identification, the English did not have patronymics. People differed simply by name, and three old Anglo-Saxon names of that period - Edith (Edith), Edward (Edward) and Edmund (Edmund) have survived to this day.

Foreign names in England

Most of the Old English (Anglo-Saxon) names that have come down to us are bibasic: Æðelgar - æðele (noble) + gār (spear), Eadgifu - eād (wealth, prosperity, luck, happiness) + gifu, gyfu (gift, gift), Eadweard - eād (wealth, prosperity, luck, happiness) + weard (guardian, guardian).

Old English names were given to newborns at the christening ceremony. Ancient names were given to children depending on the social status of the family. The Norman nobility bore Germanic names - Geoffrey (Geoffrey), Henry (Henry), Ralph (Ralph), Richard (Richard), Roger (Roger), Odo (Odo), Walter (Walter), William (William) and from Brittany - Alan (Alan) and Brian (Brian).

The Normans proposed the idea of ​​forming Old English female names from male- Patrick (Patrick), Patricia (Patricia), Paul (Paul), which are used in England to date. Between 1150 and 1300, the number of names in use began to decline rapidly. By the end of the fourteenth century, most of the male population had one of five names: Henry (Henry), John (John), Richard (Richard), Robert (Robert), William (William).

Women's names in the fourteenth century also did not differ in variety: Alice (Alice), Anne (Anne), Elizabeth (Elizabeth), Jane (Jane) and Rose (Rose). Since the personal name was no longer able to individualize one or another member of society, the use of hereditary surnames began, for example, Richard, son of John (Richard, son of John). This process in London proceeded very slowly, moving down the social ladder from wealthy aristocrats to the poor. In the north of England, even at the end of the sixteenth century, many inhabitants still did not have their own surnames.

In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, New Testament biblical names came into vogue.:

  • Andrew.
  • John.
  • Luke.
  • Mark.
  • Matthew.
  • Peter (Peter).
  • Agnes.
  • Anne.
  • Katherine.
  • Elizabeth (Elizabeth).
  • Jane.
  • Mary

Common names in 18th century England were John, William, and Thomas, and women's names were Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna. In the 19th century, male names were John, William and James, and female names were Mary, Helen and Anna. In the 20th century, the English fashion for names changed significantly every ten years..

Popular English names of the last 500 years

The Office for National Statistics conducted an unusual English family history experiment. She studied over 34 million British and Irish birth records from 1530 to 2005 and identified the 100 most popular male and female names.

English names for men:

  • John.
  • William (William).
  • Thomas (Thomas).
  • George.
  • James (James).

English female names:

  • Mary
  • Elizabeth (Elizabeth).
  • Sarah.
  • Margaret.
  • Anna (Ann).

Rare and unusual names

Unusual English names were determined according to the Office for National Statistics of England. Each name on the lists below was established in 2016 from the registration data of children in England. The rare case of the name being used, as it was given to no more than three newborns, confirms the high degree of uniqueness in the context of the whole country.

The rarest English girl names:

  • Adalie. Meaning: "God is my refuge, noble one."
  • Agape. Meaning: "Love" in ancient Greek.
  • birdie. Meaning: "Bird".
  • noam. Meaning: "Pleasant".
  • Onyx. Meaning: "Claw or nail" in ancient Greek. Black gem.

The rarest English boy names:

  • Ajax. Meaning: "Eagle" in ancient Greek mythology.
  • Dougal. Meaning: "Dark Stranger" in Gaelic.
  • Henderson. Meaning: A traditional English surname.
  • Jools. Meaning: Descended from Jupiter.
  • marvelous. Meaning: beautiful, beautiful, wonderful. More traditionally, it is the name of a Nigerian girl.

Modern tendencies

Fashion trends for names are in dynamic motion all the time. New names were born, old ones returned from the distant past, gaining again forgotten popularity, and sometimes the British simply borrowed names from other peoples. England has its own characteristics - the fashion for names is also dictated by the royal family. The names of members of the royal family Harry, William, Elizabeth, George are especially popular with the people. In 2017, the National Statistics Service of the United Kingdom ONS published an annual report that provides data on the names of newborns in 2016.

The leader in this list is the name of the boy Oliver (Oliver), and the female leader is Amelia (Amelia). This star couple has been holding this championship since 2013. Although in fact, many believe that in London the male name Muhammad is in the first place. If you carefully analyze the list of the best baby names in England and Wales, it seems that this opinion is true.

Muhammad is an Arabic name and has several spellings, so the name Muhammad appears several times in the statistics given. Muhammad ranked 8th, Mohammed ranked 31st, Mohammad ranked 68th, with a total of 7,084 people. And the name Oliver was given to 6623 newborns, so the obvious advantage of Mohammed over Oliver. Representatives of the ONS attribute such popularity of the Muslim name in England to social changes in the country.

Ahead of the ONS, English parenting site BabyCentr released its official version of the 100 Best Baby Names in 2017. The lists are compiled from a survey of over 94,665 parents of newborns (51,073 boys and 43,592 girls). Olivia again took first place in the nomination of female names. This year, the name Muhammad confidently overtook the name of Oliver, taking a leading position. The site also notes that in England they began to give names that are gender-neutral, for example, the name Harley is almost the same name for male and female children.

The best English female names of 2017:

The best English male names of 2017:

Meanings of English names

Numerous life stories, research results and theories suggest that names help shape a person's personality. Names are certainly not the only force in life that causes a person to develop in a certain way and become a person, but the importance of a name has been noticed even in antiquity.

English male names and their meanings

Meanings of English female names

  1. Olivia (Olivia). This name is in Latin oliva, which means "olive".
  2. Sophia (Sophia). The legends about her probably arose as a result of the medieval "Hagia Sophia", meaning "Holy Wisdom".
  3. Amelia (Amelia). Mixture of medieval names Emilia and Amalia. In Latin, it means "industriousness" and "striving." Its Teutonic meaning is "protector".
  4. Lily (Lily). In English, the meaning of Lily: the lily flower is a symbol of innocence, purity and beauty.
  5. Emily (Emily). Emily is a female name derived from the Roman female name Aemilia. The Latin name Aemilia, in turn, may come from the Latin word aemulus (or from the same root as aemulus) - this means "rival".
  6. Ava (Ava). Maybe from the Latin avis, meaning "bird". It can also be a short form of the name Chava ("life" or "living"), the Hebrew form of Eve.
  7. Isla (Isla). The traditionally used mostly Scottish usage derived from Islay which is the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland. It is also the name of two Scottish rivers.
  8. Isabella. Variant of Elizabeth, meaning "dedicated to God" in Hebrew.
  9. Mia (Mia). In Latin, the meaning of the name Mia is a desired child.
  10. Isabelle. In Hebrew, the meaning of the name Isabelle is dedicated to God.
  11. Ella (Ella). In English meaning: Eleanor and Ellen's abbreviation is a beautiful fairy.
  12. Poppy (Poppy). It is a female name from the name of the poppy flower, derived from the Old English popæg and referring to various species of Papaver. The name is gaining popularity in the UK.
  13. Freya. In Scandinavia, the meaning of the name is lady. Derived from the name of Freya, the Scandinavian goddess of love and fertility and the mythological wife of Odin.
  14. Grace (Grace). In English, the meaning of the word is "grace", derived from the Latin gratia, which means the blessing of God.
  15. Sophie. In Greek, the meaning of the name Sophie is wisdom, wise.
  16. Evie (Evie) in Hebrew, the meaning of the name Evie: life, live.
  17. Charlotte. Charlotte is a female given name, the female form of the male given name Charlot, a diminutive of Charles. It is of French origin meaning "free man" or "little one".
  18. Aria (Aria). Italian - "air". In music, an aria is usually a solo in an opera. In Hebrew it comes from Ariel which means the lion of God and its Teutonic origin is related to the bird.
  19. Evelyn. In French: From a surname derived from the French Aveline, meaning hazelnut.
  20. Phoebe. Feminine form of the Greek phoiba (bright), which is derived from phoibo (bright). Phoebe is found in Greek mythology as the name of Artemis, goddess of the moon. In poetry, Phoebe personifies the moon.

Each of us was given a name at birth. However, when we look at our lives, we wonder who we would be if our names were different.

In a variety of English names, you can find an option for every taste. In this article, we will look at the main English female names and their meanings, and you can safely choose your favorite.

The choice of a name has long been taken seriously. It was believed that the meaning of a name can largely determine the fate of a person and the qualities of his character. But even today, much attention is paid to the meaning of the name and its origin.

Meaning of the name

Before choosing a name for a child, many people want to know what origins the names have and what they meant in their original form.

Let's analyze popular female English names with translation. There may be different versions about their origin and meaning, and it is far from always possible to unambiguously establish the translation - we will give the most established meanings.

  • Melanie (Melanie): came from the Greek language and means "dark"
  • Florence (Florence): in Latin means "blooming"
  • Agatha (Agatha): in Greek meant "good"
  • Zoe (Zoe): in Greek meant "life"
  • Rebecca (Rebecca): originates in Hebrew and means "to bind, fasten"
  • Ruth (Ruth): translated from Hebrew as "friend"
  • Barbara (Barbara): from Greek - "alien"
  • Amanda (Amanda): derived from the Latin amandus - "worthy of love"
  • Victoria (Victoria): translated from Latin as "victory"
  • Irene (Irene): in Greek - "peace, tranquility"
  • Miranda (Miranda): from the Latin word mirandus ("wonderful")
  • Bridget (Bridget): Irish name, which originally had the form Brighid meaning "exalted, enthusiastic"
  • Sophia (Sophia): translated from Greek as "wisdom"
  • Margaret (Margaret): from the Greek word for "pearl"
  • Katherine (Katherine): Greek name, the most common version of the meaning is "pure"
  • Deborah (Deborah): translated from Hebrew as "bee"
  • Vivian (Vivian): derived from the Latin vivus "live"
  • Emma (Emma): from Germanic names meaning "whole"

Some girls' names in English have a transparent origin. Ruby (Ruby) is consonant with the word ruby ​​(ruby) and is of Latin origin with the meaning "red". And the name Harper (Harper), which was worn by the famous American writer Harper Lee (Harper Lee), originally served as a surname and referred to harpists (harp - harp).

It is even easier to guess the meaning of such names as Daisy (Daisy) and April (April). The first repeats the word daisy (daisy), and the second - April (April), which, in turn, is associated with the Latin verb aperire "to open." Both of these names began to be actively used in English no earlier than the 19th century.

When choosing names for girls in English, we pay attention to the meaning, it is not always possible to recognize it. And the point is not only that it is difficult to establish the history of the word: the meaning may simply be absent. Such an interesting story has a female name Vanessa (Vanessa). It was invented by Jonathan Swift (Jonathan Swift) for the poem "Cadenus and Vanessa", combining the first letters of the name of his friend.

Royal names

If we are talking about Great Britain, then for many, the first association with it is the royal family. Although politics has historically been the work of men, women have had their say as well. What beautiful female names in English do we meet at the royal court?

Perhaps one of the main women in the history of Great Britain and the most famous queen is Queen Victoria (Queen Victoria). She ruled the country for over 60 years until 1901. Victoria is her first name. At birth, she was also given the middle name Alexandrina (Alexandrina). But the main one was Victoria, and it was it that was fixed in history: the era of her reign is called Victorian. Many geographical areas are named after the Queen, such as a city in Canada and a state in Australia. The name Victoria remains popular today.

The current Queen of Great Britain is Elizabeth II (Elizabeth II). Her full name sounds like Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary). Every element in it is a tribute to other members of the royal family. She was named Elizabeth after her mother, Alexandra after her great-grandmother, and Mary after her grandmother. Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952 and has already surpassed her famous predecessor, Queen Victoria, in terms of the length of her reign.

The name Diana is very popular in England. In the royal family, it was worn by Princess Diana, the first wife of Prince Charles. Often her name was abbreviated and simply called Lady Di (Lady Di).

In politics, influential English women are not only the royal family. One of the most significant politicians was Margaret Thatcher (Margaret Thatcher). She became the first woman in Europe to serve as prime minister.

Name Variations

We must not forget that English names often have abbreviated versions that are very popular. As the example of Lady Di shows, abbreviations are used even in relation to government officials.

It often happens that abbreviated variants are fixed in the language and become independent names. For example:

  • Sandra (Sandra): an abbreviated version of Alexandra (Alexandra)
  • Stacy (Stacy): short for Anastasia (Anastasia)

In this case, the original version may be completely lost. For example, the form Alice (Alice / Alice) is derived from Adelaide (Adelaide), and in its original form the name sounded like Adalheidis.

Some names have different spellings. This is probably best seen in the forms Katherine / Catharine / Catherine / Catherina / Katharine / Katherina. Added to this diversity are abbreviations that can be used as a full name: Cat / Cathy / Kat / Kate / Kathie / Kathy / Katie / Kitty / Cate.

Male-female

In English, it is quite common to find names that can refer to both women and men, without differing in any way in form.

  • Ash (Ash)
  • Cameron (Cameron)
  • Kerry (Kerry)
  • Kim (Kim)
  • Morgan (Morgan)
  • Parker (Parker)

Often this situation is typical for abbreviated versions. Therefore, beautiful English female names can be obtained, among other things, from the abbreviation of the male form.

  • Alex (Alex): short for the male name Alexander (Alexander) and the female Alexandra (Alexandra)
  • Billie (Billy): short for Bill (Bill) and the female form of the name William - Wilhelmina (Wilhelmina)
  • Chris (Chris): can be formed from Christopher (Christopher), Christian (Christian) or Christine (Christine / Christina)
  • Frankie (Frankie): from male Frank (Frank) or female Frances (Francis)
  • Jackie (Jackie): from Jack (Jack) or Jacqueline (Jacqueline)
  • Nat (Nat): a variant of the forms Nathan (Nathan), Nathaniel (Nathaniel), Natalie (Natalie)
  • Robbie (Robbie): reduction of male Robert (Robert) or female Roberta (Robert)
  • Ronnie (Ronnie): can be formed from Ronald (Ronald) or Veronica (Veronica)
  • Sam (Sam): reduction of male Samuel (Samuel), Samson (Samson) or female Samantha (Samantha)
  • Steph (Step): a variant of the forms Stephen (Stephen) or Stephanie (Stephanie)
  • Terry (Terry): derived from the male Terence (Terence) or the female Theresa / Teresa (Teresa)

English names in Russian

Already in the examples of English female names given, one can find those for which it is easy to find Russian counterparts. They have a single source of origin (for example, Greek or Biblical) and have long been entrenched in the Russian language.

  • Anna - Anna
  • Maria / Mary - Maria
  • Sophia - Sofia
  • Katherine / Catherine
  • Victoria - Victoria
  • Alexandra Alexandra
  • Eva - Eva
  • Diana - Diana
  • Anastasia - Anastasia
  • Veronica - Veronica

Other names, although not typical for Russian-speaking people, are borrowed into Russian. Therefore, if you want to find beautiful English female names that sound unusual, but at the same time do not cut the ear in our society, pay attention to these options:

  • Emma - Emma
  • Sabrina - Sabrina
  • Camilla - Camilla
  • Laura - Laura / Laura
  • Irene - Irene

Choosing a cool but appropriate name for your child is not an easy task. After all, your child will live with him for the rest of his life! Many parents begin to rack their brains even before his birth, trying to foresee everything and agree on opinions, and even so that later, when the baby grows up, it would not occur to him to change his name. You need to choose wisely and without fanaticism, don "t forget this. Well, we bring to your attention interesting names in the USA. Check it

On the Nameberry website, you can not only find a special, cool and pleasant-sounding name, but also find out its true meaning and popularity. There's also a great opportunity to check out a list of the decade's hottest trends, whether you're a trendsetter or a follower.

A name is a gift so meaningful, so powerful and personal that only you can select it for your child.
A name is a gift so significant, so powerful and personal that only you can choose it for your child.

Today names that start with " Ad' or ending in ' lee”, are among the most popular for children. So stumble upon a bunch of kids called Kinsley Kinsley), Bentley ( Bentley) or even Adeline ( Addelyn) is becoming more likely in our time than, say, in the 1950s. By the way, about them. Meet tons of Jennifer Jennifer) or Jasons ( Jason) was much more likely than today. And now children in the USA and Britain, in contrast to Russian names, are quite willingly given the names of the so-called "superlative degree". Get it? Well, for example, such as Legend, Royalty or King. Would you like this for yourself? Could pathetically declare to someone: “I am a legend!” and Will Smith himself would envy you. Hurry up to change before the names become boring, because they are becoming more popular every day!

Also in the list of fashionable names for babies are the names of celebrities. These days, by naming your child Lennon, Monroe or Hendrix, you can take the whole world by storm! We believe that this trend should be followed. Why? Well...because paying homage to legendary stars can inspire your child to be the coolest kid in the world!

We don't want to upset you, but Mother Murphy with her laws doesn't mind at all. One of them, for example, reads: "No matter how harmless the name that you give the child, he will definitely be teased with this name." So, name your child so that such a law does not come into effect.

Popular American Names

List of male names:
noah
Liam
William
mason
James
Benjamin
Jacob
Michael
Elijah
Ethan

List of female names:
Emma
Olivia
Ava
Sophia
Isabella
Mia
Charlotte
Abigail
Emily
Harper

Well, if you still want to know the history, then on the website of the Social Security Administration ( Social Security Administration or SSA, but don "t read backwards tho) there is a whole table with the five most popular male and female names in the USA for newborn flowers of life, from 1917 to 2016. Over the past 100 years, for example, the name " Michael" still holds the lead (44 times), while the female name " Mary” over the years became the leader 39 times.

Other American names

While some names come and go, those that we have indicated below, however, "stuck" in the people thoroughly. They may not be No. 1 today, but they will certainly never fall out of fashion and strive to the top of the list every day.

English male names:

  • Everett. Means "brave as a wild boar" - " brave as a wild boat". English version of the German name " Eberhard».
  • Henry. German name meaning "household manager" - " ruler of the household' or 'house manager'.
  • Charlie. "Free Guy" - " free man". English soft form of the name "Charles".
  • Edwin. "Prosperous Friend" - " prosperous friend or "rich friend". English name.
  • Sam. The Hebrew meaning of the name is "to hear". Also means "declared by God" - " told by God". English name, full form - "Samuel".
  • Marshall. French name meaning "guardian of the horses" - " the keeper of hours».
  • Calvin. Latin name meaning "bald" or "devoid of cover" - " bald boy».
  • Edgar. English name meaning "great spearman" - " great spear man

English female names:

  • Lola. Spanish name meaning "strong woman".
  • Lillian. French name, derived from the name "Elizabeth" (Elizabeth). Oddly enough, it means "lily".
  • Stella. Latin name derived from " stellar", which means "starry" in translation.
  • Genevieve(read as, "Genevieve") - Genevieve. Good name from France. Means "white wave".
  • Cora. Not the one in the trees. It's like Corinna, only Cora. In ancient Greek it means "filled heart" - " filled heart". In mythology, the name Kora was an epithet for Persephone, the goddess of fertility and the mistress of the underworld.
  • Evelyn. Evelina is a Hebrew name meaning "life force". Traditionally an English surname that used to be a male name, but is now predominantly used for girls.
  • Lucy. Lucille is an English Catholic name meaning "luminiferous". You can say Lucia» well.
  • Clara. She stole corals, but in general she is “light” and “clean”. Latin name.
  • ruby. Latin again for "dark red gem".
  • Eva["i:və]. The name of the progenitor of all mankind means "giving life" or simply "life". Cool, right? The Latin form of the Hebrew name "Eve".

Rare and unusual English names

A unique name is chosen as a symbol of a unique, special child and family.
A unique name is chosen as a symbol of an exceptional, special child and family.

TOP 5 unusual male names in English

  • Prescott. This superlative English name, meaning "vicarage", was given to 18 boys in 2016. It can be shortened to "Scott" as a nickname if he thinks it sounds too harsh.
  • Grover. Although during the 20th century there were many Grovers, such as President Cleveland, as well as the cute blue freak from Sesame Street. Another famous Grover is jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. But only 19 boys were named Grover in 2016.
  • Oberon. The character Oberon in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is the king of the fairies and elves, but the name itself, with an accented "o" at the beginning, shows a much more masculine image. Oberon has also been seen as a fairytale king in an ancient Germanic legend, a French heroic song, a Ben-Johnson masque drama, and several operas. He also appeared in the Disney animated film Gargoyles. In ancient England, the name was spelled "Auberon".
  • Regis. This holy French name means "royal". Today, the name is most commonly associated with venerable talk show host Regis Philbin.
    (Regis Philbin). Only 10 parents chose this name for their son in 2016, so your son will most likely be the only "Regis" in your life.
  • Thelonious. Best known for being the name of legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Monk, 20 boys received this unique name in 2016. The origin is due to the German name "Tillman", which means "one who plows the land", and "Telonius" is a Latinized variation of this word.

TOP 5 unusual female names in English

Since many people are looking for a "unique" name, finding a really unusual name can be extremely difficult, especially when it comes to girls. Historically, girls' names have tended to be fashionable, while boys' names have been more conservative. For example, while the most popular female name changes every 10 years, "Michael" has been in the top 10 for over 75 years. Due to this, there are more popular beautiful female names than male ones. In addition, many trendy "unusual" names for girls come from men's names. So if you're looking for something out of the ordinary, yet distinctly feminine, then you may need to dig a little deeper.

The names below are given to 10 or fewer newborn girls each year, so of course there's a small chance she'll have to share her unique name with anyone else. But, if you want your new addition to the family to stand out among Emma, ​​Olivia and Sophia, feel free to choose one of the unusual names below for your little princess.

  • Flannery. You may not have gotten around to reading Flannery O'Connor's most famous short story, "Everything That Rises Must Converge". But that shouldn't stop you from giving preference to this warm-sounding Irish name "Flannery" comes from "flann" and "gal" which means "ruddy" and "bravery" in Irish, only 10 little girls were given this name in 2016.
  • Alberta. The English name, meaning "noble" and "bright", probably comes from the western province of Canada. However, there is information that the province is actually named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, one of Queen Victoria's daughters. Although the name can be quite popular abroad, in 2016 only 9 girls were named with it.
  • Sigourney. Who knows, maybe the new "Alien" would have turned out to be quite tolerable if there had been the main woman of the entire franchise. Not many parents name their daughters Sigourney. In fact, only 8 families chose it in 2016, but we know that this is the name of the winner (which, by the way, it means). Even Sigourney Weaver herself once admitted in an interview that she changed her first name to "Susan", inspired by a character from F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby.
  • Talullah. The main thing is not Tanunnah. Although celebrities such as Demi Moore, Patrick Dempsey and Philip Seymour Hoffman have nicknamed their daughters Tallulah, only 7 families chose this enchanting Choctaw Indian name meaning "jumping water" in 2016. Previously associated with the greatest stage and screen star Talullah Bankhead, now it has basically established itself as the most appropriate name for southern beauties. Another meaning of the name is “radiant girl”.
  • Antigone. Just like the name of the anti-theft system. The meaning of the name is "instead of a child." If you want to make a solid name choice with a good history, then Antigone is a good choice. The brave and principled heroine of an often retold story in Greek mythology is right on target and even more than that. Although the name has been known throughout history, parents have made it a slightly unusual choice for their daughters - only 8 families named their daughters Antigone in 2016. We'd say "Tig" sounds pretty cute too. Girls with the name Antigone are distinguished by courage and independence. In childhood, this manifests itself in the form of pronounced self-will and excessive curiosity even for a child.

Double English names

If one name is not enough for you, you can try to go one more way. In fact, giving children double names is a relatively recent tradition. Until the 18th century, people managed with only one name and surname. For a long time, the source of names was mainly the only one - a list of saints and holidays in calendar order (church calendar). But there were quite a few variations on the themes of church names among the people: in English, the Latin form "Maria" was transformed into "Mary" (Mary), which, in turn, gave the diminutive "Molly" (Molly), and then "Polly" ( Polly). The name "Joannes" comes from the Hebrew. Jochanan, gave in medieval England the forms "Jan", "Iohn" and "John" (John), as well as the diminutives "Jankin", "Jackin", and only then the popular name "Jack" (Jack). And the female form "Ioanna", borrowed from the French "Jeanne" (Jeanne), turned into three independent names at once: "Jane" (Jane), "Jean" (Gene) and "Joan" (Joan).

That's all we have. If you suddenly decide to move to live in the USA and start a family there, then you will certainly know what to name your offspring!

Big and friendly family EnglishDom



Similar articles